Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall College showed Gettysburg College why it hadn't lost a set in over two weeks with a convincing three-set victory over the host Bullets in Centennial Conference volleyball action Wednesday night in Bream Gym. The Diplomats won by scores of 25-23, 25-17, 25-20 to earn their ninth-straight victory and improve to 4-0 in the conference.

Gettysburg (11-7, 1-2 CC) swept Franklin & Marshall (15-2, 4-0 CC) in the semifinals of the conference tournament last season and the opening set looked to be headed towards a victory for the hosts. The Bullets took a 23-22 lead on a kill by senior Kristina Mercier (Baltimore, Md./Mount de Sales Academy), but the Diplomats called a quick timeout to regroup. The reprieve paid dividends as the visitors notched the final three points of the set, capped with a kill by Sydney Seydel.

The momentum carried over to the second set as Franklin & Marshall quickly expanded a narrow 8-7 lead to 19-10, thanks in part to a number of Bullet miscues. Gettysburg was unable to recover in the second set and trailed by six (16-10) in the final frame, but the Bullets staged a comeback and pulled to 19-18 on an ace by sophomore Rebecca Rubenstein (Bedford Hills, N.Y./Fox Lane). The Diplomats accounted for all the remaining points in the contest, however, surviving a pair of hitting errors and clinching the match on a solo block by Seydel.

Gettysburg was unable to get into a rhythm on offense and managed an attack percentage of just .029 on the night, while Franklin & Marshall recorded a consistent .222 hitting average. The Diplomats also posted 10 service aces and 11 total blocks.

Senior Stephanie Rickabaugh (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) led Gettysburg with six kills and eight digs. Sophomore Virginia Hogan (Alpharetta, Ga./Chattahoochee) posted five kills and a pair of aces, while Mercier finished with 13 digs and two solo blocks.

Candice Tussing led Franklin & Marshall with nine kills and Pam Horner dished out 32 assists and put up a dozen digs.

Gettysburg returns to action this Saturday, Oct. 3, with a conference affair at Ursinus College at 1p.m.